Paranormal Activity

Positive—“Paranormal Activity” is being touted by audiences and critics as one of the scariest movies they’ve ever seen. The claim immediately intrigued and made a skeptic of me. Could such a thing be true? I do not scare easily; I have watched many, many horror movies, and I can count on my hands the number of movies that have managed to scare me. But as the positive reviews kept pouring in, I decided I must see it. So I saw it.

Yes, it IS scary. Very scary. For those of you who have been searching in vain for a scary movie and have been disappointed and/or disgusted by the industry’s countless lame attempts, here is your remedy. There is very little violence in this film. There are very little gruesome images. And that is why this movie is so scary: because everything you see looks familiar.

The plot: Katie and Micah are a young couple, and Katie feels she is being haunted by a supernatural presence. Micah is doubtful, but he supports her, and he decides he’ll try to capture whatever is happening at night on tape. Things do happen. Tiny things, but things that horrify them. You know the phrase “make a mountain out of a mole hill?” Well, that’s what the malevolent presence in their house is doing. He’s doing tiny little mole hill things, like slamming doors and making unsettling noises, but since there is no proper explanation, it is terrifying. Is this demon sacrilegious to the Christian faith? Well, some may say yes, but there is equally as much argument for the opposite answer. I personally find nothing sacrilegious about it.

It is about a demon that haunts two people. The demon is obviously the villain. And when Micah tries to use an Ouija board, it has a negative response. So obviously this movie is NOT condoning practices of witchcraft. It is not concerned with that. It is concerned with the fear that this demon is creating. And it manages to convey just that. There is a little bad language, which earns the movie its R-rating. You may say that this is unnecessary, and that it’s there just to get the film its R-rating. But that’s a good thing. If there wasn’t the language, this film would be PG-13, and it’s just too terrifying to be PG-13. It needs to be R, so as to keep unaccompanied minors from seeing it (and that’s not something I say very often), and if it only takes two F-words to get a film rated R, then so be it (the actual count is probably closer to 10-20, which is far fewer than another home-video themed horror movie “The Blair Witch Project”).

If you don’t like to be scared, PLEASE do not watch this movie! It is very, very, very, very scary. Don’t watch it if it will disturb you. You do not want to do that to yourself. If any of you come on here talking about how much the film disturbed you, don’t say I didn’t warn. I am warning you. Don’t see this movie if you don’t want to be scared! However, if you go to the theater for more than just escapism and entertainment—or if, perchance, finding scary movies IS a form of entertainment for you—then see this movie. Biblically, there is not much wrong with it. Sure, the couple is living together out of wedlock, but they’re also being haunted by a demon. But please leave your kids as home, especially those below high school level. If you take them into the theater, you have no right to demand a refund when they’re scared out of their wits.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
—JM, age 19 (USA)

Positive—First, let me say that I do not believe in ghosts. I love horror movie and I’ve seen the majority of horror movies ever made. The majority of the suppose to be “scary” movies, I ended up laughing or thinking I wasted my money. You can tell that Paranormal Activity was a very low budget made movie. However, this is by far the best and scariest movie I’ll seen. For all you believers in ghosts and those how claim to have had “things” happen to you, this is a must see. I was very freaked out and it’s hard for you not to think about your own bedroom and the extracurricular activities that could go on without you knowing. The first part of the movie is a little slow but it explains a lot about the girl’s past with this “thing.” It picks up toward the end and in a big way! All I have to say is, “Really? The producers ended the movie that way?? WOW!!” There is quite a bit of cussing in this movie and of course, ghost and demons. Not recommended for children.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 2½
—Leslie, age 27 (USA)

Positive—“Paranormal Activity,” from a Christian standpoint, is a truly disturbing and creepy movie. That said, it is also a well-acted horror movie. There is some foul language, yes, but considering the situation the couple find themselves in one can only expect expletives. Dark, demonic forces are not something one should play with and Micah all but begs the demon to interact with them. He taunts it, he calls it “worthless” and invites the presence to make contact through means of a Ouija board. The demon, which has been following Katie around since she was 8, kicks it up a notch after being heckled. Micha’s character does get a little annoying and infuriating.

As believers we have an understanding of demonic forces and we also understand 1 John 4:4. There is in no way, shape, or form we are susceptible to demonic possession. Non-believers on the other hand have a skewed view of the supernatural which is clearly depicted in PA and in Micha’s actions. The power of Jesus Christ is greater than any demonic force that Satan could ever dream of setting loose. We are covered by the blood of the Lamb and have assurance of our salvation. If you see “Paranormal Activity,” go in knowing, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
—Monique, age 30 (USA)

Positive—***spoiler alert!*** Personally, I think this movie is an excellent way to find out if somebody believes in God or not. Everybody who thinks God and/or the Devil is a farce found this movie retarded. Those who DO believe in God and the Devil have found this movie scary. Those who are familiar with demonic possession (either through secondhand information, the bible, or direct experience) have found it scarier still. But that’s not my main point.

Now, some would say it is blasphemy for me to write this, but this movie is the very reason why I am closer to God. Why? Because it more or less scared me straight. I never seriously dabbled in the Occult, thank God, but in my fourteen years as a Christian I have heard many powerful sermons and read many insightful articles and books from countless Christian authors on many fundamental topics. But in all my years following the Lord Jesus, absolutely nothing has sobered me to the reality of demons and the necessity of our struggle against them the way Paranormal Activity has. NOTHING!!! Before I continue, let me clarify, I’m not saying that every believer needs to see this movie because some will not be able to handle it. I should know, it’s been almost a month since I’ve seen this picture and now I can’t even watch the TRAILER without an overwhelming sense of dread and unease. And I don’t frighten very easily when it comes to horror movies, so that’s saying quite a bit. In fact, I find most horror movies unintentionally funny, but this one really messed me up, to put it lightly. But I am digressing.

What this movie made me appreciate is the magnitude of what we’re truly up against as followers of Christ. We hate to admit it, but even though Satan is going to lose the War, it certainly doesn’t mean he’s going to lose every battle. We hate to think about it, but that is the reality of the situation we are in. We are at war against Satan and there are souls he is going to drag into Hell and there are countless lives he is going to destroy. Certainly, he will not always terrorize his victims the way he did to Katie and Micah, but that doesn’t mean everyone will be escape this mortal coil without coming into direct contact with either the Devil or his wicked minions. And many of those tormented victims will not be so fortunate to come to the Lord before it is too late, which was the tragic fate of Katie and Micah.

Hate to break it to you, but Satan is NOT a toothless lion, a simple pushover to be kicked around for our amusement. He is powerful, he is wicked, he is the Prince of this World and he is ON THE HUNT. And he is formidable. With God on our side, he CAN be defeated. But he is formidable nonetheless. And this movie made me see just how desperately powerless we truly are without God, much how Katie and Micah were helpless without the Lord’s angels to protect them from the Demon.

In many ways, this film should be considered a wake-up call for us to get right with God because without Him, we are all nothing more than sitting ducks to be picked off and tormented for Satan’s amusement and leisure—much like Katie and Micah. All the more reason for us to cling tightly to the Lord for our guidance and protection against malevolent forces such as these and to encourage others to do the same.

Can you imagine how this story would’ve ended if our hapless lovers had believed in the Lord? If only they had sought the Lord more earnestly and swallowed their foolish pride (especially Micah)? How would things have turned out had they had a true servant of the Lord to point them in the right direction or to pray for them, instead of abandoning them to their fate the way that spineless, cowardly psychic had done? Or what if they had simply just gotten on their knees in desperation and pleaded and cried to the Lord for His help, just how differently this tale would’ve ended? Alas, our unfortunate (yet foolish) couple did not turn to the Lord entirely and thus, their story ended in horror and bloodshed (and an unbelievably hideous makeover for Katie).

For all its scariness (and MAN is it scary), this story is a tragedy more than anything. But it is, in many respects, a realistic tragedy. For those who try to fight the devil directly on their own terms, on their own strength and abilities, will only be destroyed by devil. It is our responsibility as followers of Christ to guide souls such as these into the Light and to rely on His holy strength and power. Perhaps it is because I understand the gravity of the situation, but as melodramatic as I sound to say it, this movie has scarred me for life. But in many other ways, it has been a blessing for it has driven me to trust and rest in the Lord all the more and has made me see just how foolish I’ve been in wasting my efforts on frivolous, meaningless activities. This movie should not be dismissed by Christians as demonic just because it’s frightening.

This movie should be embraced not only because it rightly snubs the Occult and Witchcraft, but because for all the horror it affords, it also paints a shocking, terrifying reality of Satan’s powers and should inspire us to follow God all more eagerly if we truly wish to stop his evil, deadly rampage. For it is only through our faith in Christ that will we truly be able to help not only ourselves, but the Katies and Micahs of the world. Think about that.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Good / Moviemaking quality: 4½
—Tyke, age 30 (USA)

Neutral—If you wish to see “Paranormal Activity,” then by all means, please do. You may be disappointed or you may be tainting your britches. You’ll never know ‘less you stumble out the door yourself. And if you convince yourself your 7 dollars won’t be missed, you’re making the right choice in seeing it on the big screen. There, hopefully, you’ll have a large crowd, and by large, all I mean is the requisite ten or more heads. You and your best bud Joe Six Pack gathering around the flat screen don’t exactly comprise a “large crowd.” Trust me, your hard-earned deniro don’t just pay for a giant screen in your face—you’re paying for the experience of side commentary, shrieks, and random laughs. That’s something you can’t get from your rental in the red box or heaven forbid, your nifty pirated bundle.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 3½
—Mega Tron, age 23 (USA)

Neutral—I saw this movie last night. It started out slow. But once it got going, the viewer gets really pulled into the movie. This is a very disturbing movie concerning the hyper dimension of the unseen world. If your a believer with any type of spiritual discernment, you’ll come to realize quickly this isn’t a normal scary movie. When I got home, I had a feeling of nervousness as if I was being watched.

But then I was reminded of Job. How God had a hedge around him. This movie is a peak of demonize activity in a persons home. I was very sadden of how the demon tormented and drag that young lady out of her bed. Sadden because she called the name of her boyfriend to save her, but he couldn’t. I thank God for the same above every name, Jesus; in whom fallen angels and demonic entities tremble at the sound of His name. In my opinion, its more of a sad than scary movie. Sad how another soul was lost. Sad how the general public walk away from this movie as just a another scare movie unaware of how they are apart of a real battle of real demons in this war over their souls. If your going to watch this movie, pray first. Pray.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Very Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4½
—Jean-Robert, age 25 (USA)

Neutral—I went to see this movie not quite sure what to expect. I felt the movie was very realistic in terms of how Micah and Katie interacted with each other. You could tell there was no real script, and emotions seemed pretty genuine. However, the real issue I have with this movie is not the ending, which seems to be gathering quite a bit of attention. No, I simply could not believe that despite everything that was happening to these two individuals in this house, NEVER once did they pray and cry out to the Lord. It’s a pretty safe bet that neither one was a believer, but you would think that being in a situation dealing with dark, unknown demonic forces, you would cry out to God. The only reference made about God is Katie clutching a cross which Micah finds and burns.

Well, regardless, the movie did NOT keep me up at night, in fact, to be quite honest, the ending was a bit cheesy, which is why I just could not take it seriously. I need to just stop watching these kinds of movies out of sheer curiosity and instead read my Bible more.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 3½
—Marcy, age 32 (USA)

Neutral—First, this movie was nowhere near as scary as all the reviews made it out to be. It has a few scenes that were a little suspenseful, but overall, it was so so.

As far as objectionable content goes, this is what I can remember-

Sex/nudity: in at least two scenes, the main male character wants to have sex with his girlfriend while filming but she won’t do it. However, he does turn the camera off, and then once he turns it back on makes comments that lets us all know what they’ve just done. Totally not needed. She also wears lower cut shirts which didn’t really bug me, but I know some may not appreciate seeing her cleavage falling out of her shirt.

Violence-It depends. If you watch the alternate ending on the DVD, there is violence.

***SPOILER*** The alternate ending has the girlfriend walk into her bedroom covered in blood carrying a really big butcher knife. She walks up to her boyfriend’s camera, stands there, and then proceeds to lift her knife and slit her own throat. Blood spurts out and she falls over. ***END SPOILER***

Overall, there really isn’t any violence on camera. There is a scene that shows the girlfriend lift up the lower part of her shirt to reveal a wound on her back that the “ghost”/“demon” that is haunting their house inflicted on her. Otherwise, nothing notable.

Swearing-plenty of swearing. Ironically, at one point in the movie the ghost thing is acting up and the boyfriend uses Jesus Christ as a swear word instead of in prayer to ward off whatever was in their house. I wouldn’t expect prayer in a movie like this, but knowing the power of Jesus' Name in casting out demons, I found that scene sadly ironic.

Another element that had me a little uneasy was the occult aspect. At one point a ghost hunter type guy was called in. Luckily he didn’t get into any channeling or any other practices. The boyfriend also did play around with a ouija board to try to talk to the ghost. It caught on fire and the ghost did try to give him a message. I think that was the most offensive aspect of the movie and one that Christians need to be aware of.

Overall, this movie was TAME for a “horror” movie. It had some mildly scary parts but nothing that made me agree with the rave reviews. Definitely not on par with “The Blair Witch Project.”
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 3
—Angelica, age 24 (USA)

Negative—This film is ridiculous. It isn’t scary. The “demon” seems to be portrayed as a bored child who has nothing better to do than annoy. What kind of demon needs to turn the lights on in the hallway to go upstairs then turns it off? If you know what a demon is and what they do, then this is really nothing. There are better ways to get a scary thrill.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 3
—April, age 23 (USA)

Negative—Bottom Line: not scary at all. Not a good movie at all. Do not waste your money. ALL HYPE!!
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 2
—Hoss, age 46 (USA)

Negative—My teenage daughter saw this movie with friends for her 18th birthday, it was not chosen by her. She has not been able to sleep in her room for two nights! We have continuously had to pray over her specifically about what she saw. She said it is very demonic and not a movie for anyone, including non-believers. I trust her opinion, she wishes she would have walked out!
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: ½
—Carol, age 50 (USA)

Positive—First off, if you decide to see this movie, I would encourage you to try and forget all the hype surrounding it, especially the whole “demand it!” thing. What a silly way to get people to think they are involved. The commercials were a load of garbage as well, they must have given the college kids at those private screenings a ton of caffeine before showing them the movie. Anyway, I found this movie to be genuinely creepy, which is absolutely shocking. I haven’t been actually worried in a movie theater, ever, EVER, mainly due to the near scum-of-the-earth people (when it comes to being quiet in a theater) that attend movies in my town. I feel your pain, Mega Tron. However, even with half of the crowd yelling such ingenious phrases such as “aww **** nawwwww, (racial slur of some kind)..” every time 3:15 am rolled around, I was truly scared at a few points.

The filmmakers did a tremendous job of keeping a good pace throughout the movie (the haunting keeps getting worse and worse) and this pace is necessary to have a believable movie. Unlike the main reviewer, I think it was an intelligent move to start slow and let the fright build, because the ending would be completely unbelievable if the characters hadn’t been suffering from a downward spiral of sleeplessness and terror. That being said, the movie IS rather unnerving. I was seriously worried about what was going to happen in the last scene, especially after the “I think we are going to be okay now…” line.

Oh my goodness. as a side note, the movie was even more impressive because of the extremely small amount of people who worked on it. I’m not sure of the exact number, but I think it was mainly just the two characters. Another thing that made this movie such a positive viewing for me was the fact that it was frightening without the use of excessive gore, and that the use of evil objects/actions resulted in eventual punishment. There was no gore, at all! The fact that this movie succeeded without any is a great accomplishment, because nearly all of the more popular horror movies now seem to be filled with decapitations and torture. And I always love when films portray objects like Ouija boards in a negative way.

The characters did call a psychic, but all the psychic really did was say to not aggravate whatever was after them by summoning it or trying to contact it in any way. The only negative aspects of the film were that the guy character was just an annoying imbecile. He couldn’t have been any more unintelligent. His attitude towards the demon during the movie was just plain ridiculous. He probably would’ve challenged it to a bro-down style arm-wrestling match if given the chance. (Where was his Ed Hardy designs shirt?)

Also, there is a lot of bad language, but it didn’t bother me too much because it was mostly justified. I wouldn’t exactly be thrilled in that situation myself. Go see, unless you enjoy being able to not worry yourself to death at 3 o’clock in the morning.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4
—krinking, age 17 (USA)

I did not see this movie, but 2 of my adult children and their friends did. They are all born again Christians. They were very disturbed and had trouble sleeping, as seems to be the norm for this movie. I am concerned that this movie is being seen by people who are not saved and their fears are indeed relevant. It seems to me that seeing this movie is not all that different than playing with an Ouija board. They are still looking into things that should be left alone, and opening doors that should be left closed.
—Brenda Stevens, age 49 (USA)

I have not seen this film and one may wonder why I would choose to comment and even give a rating on the movie as Extremely Offensive and Opinion as Negative. Simple, before the LORD accepted me, I have had the experience of seeing, touching, speaking to demons. After becoming a Christian, I have had the experience of speaking against and casting out demons. You see, before I was a Christian, my family and even I took part in foolish activities that welcomed demons into our lives. There are so many other ways of welcoming demons and “the unwanted” into our lives that we take for granted. Watching movies being one of many. Music, books and games being other mediums.

Why would one intentionally want/desire to watch a movie that has the potential to scare them? I could understand, it brings thrills and gets the adrenaline flowing. I know, I watched many such movies over the years. But curiosity kills more than just the cat, it can destroy the soul. The testimonies from the parents of children who have been so disturbed that they cannot sleep, is disheartening and disturbing. Kindly, please pray for them. For fear has now been instilled and fear is the evil work of the devil that works against faith. For GOD had not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.

This movie also blasphemes the name of God and has profanity on various levels, giving even greater reason to not indulge in such. Yes, the comments have made me curious to see the film, but the fear of GOD is greater than the fear of evil, and therefore out of wisdom I choose not to pollute my mind with such. For what good purpose could such a movie have? Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things—Philippians 4:8.
—Paul, age 37 (Trinidad)